City News

The driving range at Desert Hills Par 3 golf course – currently closed for the season – will not reopen in its current form this fall due to failing fence poles.

Those who wish to use a driving range are invited to continue using the range at nearby Desert Hills Golf Course, 1245 W. Desert Hills Drive. That range is open year-round.

The par-3 course is located at the southwest corner of 32nd Street and Avenue A. Fence poles holding the net that protects Avenue A traffic from wayward golf balls are failing, the City learned this week. Due to the potential safety hazard, the poles and their attached netting will have to be removed.

The City did not budget for this replacement in the current fiscal year, which just began on July 1, and the revenue this driving range takes in did not justify the replacement cost, estimated to be between $80,000 and $100,000.

“Overall the use of the par-3 range is very low compared to the one at Desert Hills,” said City Administrator Greg Wilkinson. “It takes in about $7,500 per year, with vast majority in the winter.”

There is no timetable as of yet for pole removal, said Assistant Parks and Recreation Director Damon Chango.

The City is currently considering other recreational options for use of the par 3 driving range area, such as possibly turning it into a practice area for “short game” skills such as chipping and putting.

Wilkinson indicated the City would consult with its commissions and the public regarding the possibility of repurposing the area via grants or other means.